Rebecca Moynihan (born 11 December 1981) is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

for the

Administrative Panel The Administrative Panel () is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Administrative Panel elects seven senators. Election ...

since April 2020. She is the party's spokesperson on Housing, Local Government, and Heritage. She previously served as a member of

Dublin City Council Dublin City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath) is the authority responsible for local government in the city of Dublin in Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Until 2001, the council wa ...

from 2009 to 2020, representing Crumlin-

Kimmage Kimmage ( or ''Camaigh uisce'', meaning "crooked water-meadow", possibly referring to the meandering course of the River Poddle), is a suburb on the south side of the city of Dublin in Ireland. Location Kimmage is to the south of Dublin city c ...

and the South West Inner City.

Early life

Moynihan is from a working-class family in

Rialto, Dublin Rialto () is an inner suburb of Dublin, situated on the city's southside. The area takes its name from the Harcourt Bridge, which was commonly known as the Rialto Bridge due to its resemblance to the shape of the bridge of that name in Venice. ...

Political career

Moynihan became involved in the Labour Party at a young age; she was the National Chair of

Labour Youth Labour Youth is the youth wing of the Labour Party of Ireland. Membership is open to those aged from 16 to 30 years old. History 1979–2000 Labour Youth succeeded the Young Labour League as a full section of the Party in 1979, under Party L ...

from 2002 to 2004 and is involved in Labour Women. In 2009, she was elected as a member of Dublin City Council. While a councillor, Moynihan had a motion passed to ensure free period products were available in all Dublin City Council buildings, and secured 100,000 euros in funding for this project. She was elected unopposed as Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin in 2016 to Lord Mayor Brendan Carr. Darragh Moriarty was co-opted to Moynihan's seat on

following her election to the Seanad. In February 2020, Moynihan was an unsuccessful Labour Party candidate at the 2020 general election for the Dublin South-Central constituency, getting 2,095 (4.8%) first preference votes. At the Seanad election in March/April 2020, she was elected to

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house). It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...

on the

. As the party's spokesperson on housing, Moynihan has opposed co-living proposals put forward by the government, stating that it is "not suitable" and "even more unsuitable in the context of the Covid crisis". In January 2021, Moynihan tabled her first bill in the Seanad, a bill to combat period poverty. This bill, the Period Products (Free Provisions) Bill, will provide for free tampons, sanitary pads and reusable products in all school bathrooms, educational institutions and public buildings in Ireland, if passed by the government.

Personal life

Prior to becoming a Senator, Moynihan taught at

Rathmines College of Further Education Rathmines College is an educational institution in Rathmines, Dublin. The college offers several Further Education courses in areas not limited to accounting, business, computing, media studies, and office administration. Campus locations It has ...

References

External links

Labour Party profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moynihan, Rebecca Living people 1981 births 21st-century women members of Seanad Éireann Labour Party (Ireland) senators Local councillors in Dublin (city) Members of the 26th Seanad